Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-04-15
John Minton.

The immense bag of tho balloon filled
slowly with gas, and began to struggle
With the ropes which held it down,
.waying from side to side as if it were
Eager to take flight.
Outside the space enclosed by rope,
vas gathered nearly the entire popula-
ton of several mountain counties. some
If the people having walked twenty
miles (ond carried q baby only to
Tjsit the circus and see the "b' loon
gw'up.' Inside the Enclosure we're two
men, on whom the eyes of the assem-
bly, were fixed. One was q swarthy
title man, with black mustacIle, dressed
n tights, who walked around with a
great air of professional song f''oid.
lie was advertised on the show bills
as Professor Zingari, the great Italian
Aeronaut;' but his real name was
Shanks. and he came from Mud town,
indiana. The other man was not so
easy to make out at first. The suit of
aomespun that clothed his tall, lank
WI IA oAo"eN Ildt 10 WAS a. IeSluellI OF
che mountains; but this was surmount-
Ell by face full of eager wistfulness,
which contrasted strangely and de-
cidedly with the monotonously apathet-
&c expression on the faces surrounding
him. From the conversation of the
crowd, one would soon gather that this
was John Minton, and that he intended
making the ascent with the Profess
Or, which intention was discussed with
great interest By the multitude.
''How high have you ever been?':
asked Minton of the professor.
''Oh, I don't KNOW he responded,
mot more'n mile or 500
I'D like to be his CHER than anybody"
said Minton. with enthusiasm.
Il wouldn't. said the little man; "a
mile is high enough for ME. 1t gets
as cold as the devil up there
Minton did not seem to notice this re-
mark, but stood looking treamily at
1.-THE sightlcss couriers of the air."
drifting lazily through the blue ether,
as if he would peer into the secrets.
Owing to the delay that invariably
very near sunset before everything was
ready for the assent.
Wen only 60 up a little ways and
then come down again. said the pro-
lessor, who spoke English with remark
able freedom for q foreigner.
At q word from his companion, Min
ton cast rapid, half-detiant glance
around upon the crowd. Yes, there she
was, with her eyes cast down and her
cheeks burning; she could see how lit
tie he cared for her--then he seized the
rope and climbed vigorously into the
wicker-work car, while the aeronaut
seated himself below in the trapeze.
Let her go!'' shouted the professor,
in q stentorian voice.
Minton's eyes irresistib]y sought out
one figure in the mass of humanity be-
low.
She stretched forth her arms towards
him, and tears sprang to her eyes.
But the next moment she seemed to
drop away from him suddenly, the
cheer of the spectators died away like
the sound of an organ when the air
fails, and the professor fell out of the
trapeze backwards and caught by his
feet in q way that made a shudder run
through the assemblage, row far be-
low. After ascending steadily for some
time, the ballon sprang suddenly up
ward with q joyous leap. and Minton
heard wild, vanishing cry, like the
yell which the multitude gave when
they left the earth. Look ny over the
side of the car, he perceived to his hor-
ror that his companion had disap-
peared.
He looked downwa-ds; all below was
wrapped in shadow, except that the
sunlight still gilded the summit of old
Bald Mountain, away off there to the
south. The earth had an indescribably
gloomy and forbidding aspect. A
strange thrill of exultation passed
throug h him; he felt premonition of
''the joys of disembodied spirit whose
race has just begun
his hand toward the silent, sombre
earth. and cried out passionately
Ear well to you, far well" He was
seized upon by an intense longing to
dwell forever in this region Of pure
ether and eternal sunshine. Springi g
up he hurled the bags of ballast out OF
the car, and shouted aloud with insane
glee.
The mercury fell rapidly in the ba-
rOmeter, the vault of heaven above him
became black, and sharp pain shot like
lightning to his heart.
The air grew intensely cold, blood
streamed form his mouth and nose. he
pressed his hand over his heart and
sank painting on the floor of the car.
Thank God it is all over" said he, as
he lapsed into unconciousness. For his
life had not been happy one there be-
low on this earth; it had been solitary
and companionless, and what mean.
ing is there in these words! q. -
How could it be otherwise? Nature,
as if to make amends for wasting hel
noblest beauties on stolidly Indifferent
d people, had set down amongst them
this man with mind so keenly sensa.
tive to her charms, and SO perfectly
8 atuned to hers, that he reflected with
/ unconscious and perfect fidelity al
her varying moods, as still mountain
!. lake, nesting among the shelterine
hills, mirrors without distorting the
ever-changing sky-pagent over it. HI
did'not, as YOU aud ] do, with egotisti.
cal SUFFICIENTLY. impose his own moods
on nature. The thrilling exuberance
Of spring time, the volnptuous languol
of summer, the dreamy pensiveness 81
autumn. and the vast and mOurnfu
dreariness Of winter in the mountains
only relieved by the lyrics Of ffre-lit in.